Various Artists
Stora rock'n'roll boxen - Svensk rock'n'roll 1954-1963
Premium Publishing
If you are seriously interested in the history of Swedish music, by all means, ignore the number rating printed above and get this. "Stora rock'n'roll" is a beautifully packaged 4-disc book + CD set filled with extensive liner notes (på Svenska) and wonderful pictures. Beyond the usual background and lineup info, this collection also includes the cover art (or center label) for almost every track which is a true bounty for all vinyl-lovers. As for the music itself, well, that's where assessment starts to get a bit more difficult.
On one hand, the historical importance of these songs are unassailable, but on the other side of things, how many versions of "Rockin' robin" do you really need? Sometimes I feel like even the Bobby Day original is one too many. Also, consider that while there are many fine musicians on display here, a great majority of them aren't doing much more than aping their American counterparts, often without offering any improvement over the originals. It's pleasant enough, but far too few tracks rise above mediocrity and as such, it sometimes struggles to hold my attention. Ultimately, that's the reason for my less-than-stellar rating. While "Stora rock'n'roll" definitely holds an important place in my own personal collection, understand that its appeal is limited. If the context doesn't significantly interest you, the music won't either.
- Avi Roig
